Is This Fate?
by Thiing2
Summary: A while after Ned died Betty decides to try a dating website, and gets a lot more than she asked for. Maybe she will find her true love? (Betty/Spiderman)
1. Dating Website Madness

Betty Brant of the Daily Bugle sat on her bed in her faded Hello Kitty PJs. The laptop in her lap acted as a very efficient light source in her pitch black dark room. Her computer screen was open to a web page that she never wanted to admit to anyone that she had finally given in to. A dating website. A very popular one. She looked at the screen that was asking for information to make her profile. Hanging her head in defeat she began to type.

 **Hair: Brown; Eyes:Brown; Height: Around 5 ft; Weight: Around 130 lbs; Race:White; Gender:Female; Looking For:Male.**

Well, that was the easy part. Now she just had to fill in her personality, what kind of man she was looking for, and add pictures. A LOT of pictures. The more information the better. What? She was desperate! Ned had died about a year back, and she was trying to find another man that would fit in her life. Problem is, life doesn't just point you to the right guy. So she was trying a new approach.

 **Personality:**

 **I like to believe I am kind, trusting, and loving. I work as a secretary at the Daily Bugle in Manhattan, New York. I am a hard worker and am just looking for a man to settle down with. I dream of having a house all to ourselves when we are married and having children (two AT LEAST) and maybe a dog. No cats. I'm allergic. I suppose you could always get a fur-less cat, but those are kinda ugly.**

Actually, maybe those last three sentences where best left unsaid Betty thought as she quickly deleted them and moved onto the "Looking For" section.

 **Looking For:**

 **A man that will follow his dreams along with helping me with mine. Enough said. Oh, and he needs to be able to protect me, so being a little strong wouldn't hurt. Oh, and cute. He has to be cute.**

Perfect! She smiled and cracked her knuckles. This wasn't too bad actually! Now just to add pictures. She opened her folder labelled "Selfies" on her computer. What? One can never be too prepared. She added one of her petting a dog, one of her working, one of her on a roller coaster (she had to show people that she was a fun loving girl), one of her cooking, and one of her with her brother. She stared at the last picture longingly. Oh, how she missed him. She couldn't believe he had been taken from her, and life, so soon. How long had it been since he had been shot? Three years? Wow. She quickly shook her head to get the "I'm getting old" feeling out of it, and kept typing.

Betty yawned and looked at the clock. Three AM. She had been up all night finishing her profile. Putting her laptop down on her desk, she kept it open in case she got a message, she quickly made her way under her blankets and closed her eyes. Just when she was falling asleep she heard a *ding* noise. She crinkled her nose and pulled the blankets over her head. The noise came again, louder this time. She pulled the blanket off her face to glare at her computer when she saw that a message that lit up the whole screen. YOU HAVE A MATCH. Suddenly feeling like she had drank a whole case of Red Bull, she jumped up and grabbed her computer off her desk. On the screen it had a username of the (hopefully) man of her dreams.

 **user: jackieblackiehasgotalackie**

Odd username... but beggars aren't choosers I suppose. Apparently he had followed her (hence the blip on her screen) and he had also messaged her. After a mini panic attack, she clicked on her messages screen.

 **jackieblackiehasgotalackie - Hello there cutey!**

Eep! He called her a cutey! What should she say? She quickly typed a reply.

 **bbrantwifeymaterial - Not so bad urself**

It was true. He was quite a looker from his profile. He looked a lot like someone she knew though. Maybe she had met him before? She would ask.

 **bbrantwifeymaterial - Hey have i met u somewhere b4?**

It didn't take long for him to message back.

 **jackieblackiehasgotalackie - Idk but i think i knew your bro. We worked 2gether**

Wow! He knew my brother?! That's amazing! It would also explain why he looked familiar, her brother did talk about work a lot. You know, when he was alive. But this was good. They already have something, er someone, in common! Maybe this is fate? Another message came up on her screen.

 **jackieblackiehasgotalackie - Hey do u believe in fate?**

Betty gasped. Her hands trembled as she typed.

 **bbrantwifeymaterial - Idk do u?**

She gnawed at her lip in worry as she saw him typing. What would he say? Would he reject her? Would he agree with her? Would this be the man she fell in love with? Would this be true love? Man, now even she realized how desperate she sounded. She heard a *ding* and looked at her screen.

 **jackieblackiehasgotalackie - Well i found u didnt i?**

Betty felt her face burn red. Oh. Oh, this guy was good. He quickly messaged again.

 **jackieblackiehasgotalackie - Hey ik this is prob weird but i was wondering if we could meet somewhere? Maybe soon? We could just talk about work, random stuff, maybe even about ur brother. Stuff like that. It doesnt have to b a date or anything. Not yet that is.**

Yup. She was officially internally screaming. He wanted to meet up? Already? What if this is some creep? No, no. This guy knew that the guy in that picture was her brother, so he did know him. And if he was a creep her brother NEVER would have hung out with him. He hated guys like that. Killers? Sure. Thiefs? Sure. Creeps? Nope. That was probably one of the reasons he ended up at the business end of a bad guy's gun. Shaking her head once more to rid herself of these thoughts, she typed her reply without thinking much more about it.

 **bbrantwifeymaterial - Sure. Y not?**


	2. Where He Changes The Game

Dress? Check. Heels? Check. Makeup on fleek? Check! Ready for her date? No so much. She was as ready as a elephant would be ready to fit into a size two mini skirt. If she had to spell that out, that meant she was not ready. AT ALL. Giving herself a small pep talk in her full length mirror that involved a lot of "you can do this" and "you are beautiful" chants, she then sucked in her gut, grabbed her keys, and walked out her door.

Betty Brant sat at the table for two in the nearest coffee shop. She quickly glanced down at her phone which had their last messages lit up on the screen.

 **bbrantwifeymaterial - Sure. Y not?**

 **jackieblackiehasgotalackie - Awesome! Where do u wanna meet?**

 **bbrantwifeymaterial- Um how bout for coffee?**

 **jackieblackiehasgotalackie - Alright that tells me what you want 2 drink but not where 2 meet lol**

 **bbrantwifeymaterial- Oh srry _ how about Sylvia's Coffee Stop?**

 **jackieblackiehasgotalackie - Never been! Cant wait tho**

 **bbrantwifeymaterial - Ok when should we meet?**

 **jackieblackiehasgotalackie - Tommorrow 2:00?**

 **bbrantwifeymaterial - Tommorrow?**

 **jackieblackiehasgotalackie - Sure! Or r u working? #workisugh**

 **bbrantwifeymaterial - Oh we r doing hashtags now are we?**

 **jackieblackiehasgotalackie - #idontknowwhaturtalkingabout**

 **bbrantwifeymaterial - Fine hastags it is then #idontworksoiguessthatsfine**

 **jackieblackiehasgotalackie - #coolcantwait #seeuthen**

 **bbrantwifeymaterial - Goodnight :)**

 **jackieblackiehasgotalackie- #gnight**

 **bbrantwifeymaterial - #seriously? #whenimeetyouimgonnakillyou**

 **jackieblackiehasgotalackie- #noyoushallbetheonedieing :)**

 **bbrantwifeymaterial - 0_0**

 **jackieblackiehasgotalackie - #whenuseehowhandsomeiam ;)**

 **bbrantwifeymaterial - #iknewthat #youreweird**

 **jackieblackiehasgotalackie- So are you!**

 **bbrantwifeymaterial- #donewithhashtagsisee**

 **jackieblackiehasgotalackie- ...**

 **jackieblackiehasgotalackie - Goodnight Ms. Brant**

 **bbrantwifeymaterial - Goooooooodnight! #iwin**

This guy was so funny! She couldn't wait to meet him in real life! Suddenly, a gunshot rang out and interrupted her daydream. Terror took over her. Betty dropped to her knees and crawled under the table. She was shaking so much she feared the bad guy would see the table shaking. She shouldn't have worried. About shaking the table that is. Because at that moment she heard the ringing sound of the bell on the door as it was opening and it chilled her to her bone. She shrunk down. Then she heard a voice.

"Betty?!" He sounded panicked. "Betty it's me! The guy from online! I'm here!" It's him! He's actually here! And he came to save me! Slowly she made her way out from under the table...and came face to face with the barrel of a gun. She looked from the gun, to the hand holding it, to the person the hand was connected to. It was him. It was the man from the web site. But now seeing him in person, she also recognized him as someone else too.

"Blackie," she whispered.

"Honestly, Ms. Brant," he said with a wide grin, "Didn't your parents ever warn you about internet safety? Did you like my part with the hashtags? I thought it made me seem more... inviting..."

"What do you want?" Betty whimpered as she felt the cool metal of the gun touch her head. Blackie smiled and his eyes got darker.

"You. Dead."


	3. Villians and Heroes

"You. Dead." Blackie's smile had disappeared and a sneer had taken its place, "Why else would I try and lure you out? You are a nobody, a plain jane, boring."

"But..why?" She asked, still in shock.

"Why? Lemme remind you of when we last met..." Blackie pulled the gun away and waved it in the air as he spoke, something that must've been a habit of his. Otherwise he would've never have taken his aim off Betty. She, on the other hand, was getting her second wind thanks to the fact that there was no longer a gun placed to her temple. If she could just keep him talking, which didn't seem too hard of a task to do, she might be able to escape. Looking towards the door she inched closer, and then stopped and nodded along with whatever Blackie was saying, and then would inch again and repeat. It was working beautifully for a while, until it didn't.

"Honestly, I think people like your brother thought I was stupid," he continued ranting, looking skywards, "Your brother, the police, Spiderman..." he then looked down at Betty who had been in the process of inching and had been caught. He then trained his gun on her again, "and you. You honestly thought that a trained hitman like me didn't notice your pathetic attempt at escaping? I was just enjoying the show." Betty gulped and stood straight up. At least this way she had a chance to run. Blackie smiled in way that Betty just couldn't classify as human. It was scary. She panicked and bolted for the door. Clicking back the hammer of the gun, Blackie took aim, "Shows over sweetheart."

Betty tensed up, ready for the shot. She heard a click, a bang, but felt no pain. Turning around, she saw a pale faced Blackie who was facing... Spiderman. Spiderman who now had crimson red blood dripping down his limp arm and onto the floor. His other hand was holding where he had been hit, and he was facing the ground. He took the bullet? For her? Why?

"Why?!" Blackie screamed, mirroring Betty's thoughts, "Why do you always mess things up for me?! First with her brother, and now with her! At least HE ended up dead! Now let me kill HER and she will be able to see him again," he smiled once more, but this time in an attempt to get Spidey to back off, "After all that's all she has ever wanted is to see her brother again, ain't that right?" He was met with an eerie silence as Spiderman just stood there. After a few seconds, Spidey finally moved, still looking at the floor, towards Blackie. Which apparently hadn't been the bad guy's plan as he began to back away. Spidey began to speak with every step he took, his voice gruff (a mixture of pain and anger she guessed) but yet... calm. But not the nice calm, the scary calm. The I'm-gonna-rip-your-head-off calm. Which wasn't much better than what he said.

"Listen. Blackie." He began with two steps. "You better. Decide wisely. Your next. Decision." Four more. "Because. If you. Hurt. One hair. On her head." Five. Blackie's back hit the wall and Spidey was no more than 10 feet away. Spidey finally looked up from the floor and looked Blackie right in the eyes (as well as he could, considering the mask and all that) and growled, "I. WILL. KILL. YOU. DO. WE. HAVE. AN. UNDERSTANDING?" He finished. Chills went down Betty's spine, and no doubt down Blackie's too. She wouldn't doubt it considering the fact that Spiderman was only 6 inches from Blackie's face. Spiderman stared him down. "DO WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING BLACKIE?"


	4. Flashback Tiiiime

Betty felt the wind through her hair as Spiderman swung through the air as gracefully as a man that was just shot in his arm could. Which was actually quite graceful surprisingly. Betty couldn't believe that just five minutes ago she had been watching what might as well have been the scariest moment of her life.

Betty watched in horror as the two men stared each other down in silence. Blackie looked shocked, but then he smiled in that same creepy way he had before.

"You don't kill," he stated matter-of-factly, "You never have and you never will."

"Don't worry," Spiderman began, and Betty thought she could catch her breath until he finished, "I would make it painless. You wouldn't feel a thing." Betty looked at Blackie and saw that he was becoming unsure, you could tell because he was on his tip toes attempting to get as far from Spidey as possible. Spidey took this to his advantage and pushed him into the wall with his good hand, effectively pinning him there.

"Even if you did try to kill me," he said keeping his eye contact, "it would be pretty hard concerning you only have one good arm."

"Try me," Spiderman simply said, and replying to the look of confusion mixed with terror on Blackie's face he said, "That's something you bad guys say right? 'Try me'?" And then almost like a second thought he added, "Oh, and by the way, it isn't impossible to choke someone to death with one hand. Especially when you are as strong as I am. So come on, TRY me." It only took Blackie two seconds to realized how close Spidey's hand was to his neck, and it took his half that time to give up. Fight over. Battle won.

Back in Reality, Betty realized that the Web Swinger had been speaking to her.

"Uhhhhh, huh what?" She said in the most lady like way she could muster. She almost heard a snicker from Spidey, and then he became serious once more.

"I was asking how you were doing," he said calmly.

"You're asking me how I'm doing and you're the one who's shot?!" She exclaimed. This guy...

"Well, yeah," he said as if it was the most normal thing ever. So she just answered as normally as possible as well.

"Yeah, I'm good," She answered, it only being half a lie, and then decided to ask what had been lingering on her mind since the fight, "Spidey? Can I ask you something?"

"Hm?"

"Would you have actually killed Blackie? You know, if he had actually attacked?" She asked trying to look at his face. His expression (the one she could see anyway) didn't change. And he also didn't answer.

"So," he began, not so subtly changing the subject, "how did you guys end up in that coffee shop together in the first place? I mean it just doesn't seem right that he could just HAPPEN to come across you all by yourself in an empty coffee shop." He landed on her balcony, dropped her off, crouched on the railing and continued talking to her, "So what happened?" Betty sighed, both inwardly and outward. She had been found out. So she said the only thing that came to mind.

"A dating website."


	5. True Love Beats All

After a long explanation, and one visit to her website (What? Spidey was curious what she had wrote.) she finally had the whole story laid out for Spidey. She watched as he thought in silence of what she had told him. She was just about to go get some coffee for herself when he finally spoke.

"No."

"Eh?"

"No," Spidey said with a shrug, much to his regret as he winced, "I wouldn't have killed Blackie. I might've threatened and even TRIED but if it came down to it, I could never willingly take a living thing's life. Human or other wise." He finally finished as he scooted around to sit more comfortably on the railing.

"But... why..." Betty began, confused as to what brought this on. Spiderman interrupted her thoughts.

"Because you told me the truth about something, so I returned the favor," he explained, leaving out the thoughtful shrug this time. Betty looked down at his bleeding arm and, without thinking, pulled him inside. Spidey allowed her to pull him to her couch, sit him down, and watched as she went to find her first aid kit. By the time she came back into the room he had found out she had cable and was flipping through channels. He stopped it on some cheesy romantic comedy and then gave up his arm, a little dramatically she might add, for her to clean him up. As she was doing so she happened to overhear part of the movie. It was a man's voice.

 _"We fell in love, despite our differences, and once we did, something rare and beautiful was created. For me, love like that has only happened once, and that's why every minute we spent together has been seared in my memory. I'll never forget a single moment of it."_

"That's what you wanted, wasn't it?" Spidey interrupted her thoughts once more. He looked her in the eyes, "True love?" Betty glanced downwards.

"Well, that and fate," she answered.

"That isn't how the world works Ms. Brant," he winced a bit as she applied medicine to the wound. She glared up at him.

"Yes. It is."

"No. It's not."

"Yes. It is."

"Nope."

"Yes."

"No."

"YES." Betty pushed harder on the wound while cleaning it and Spidey jumped a little and now it was his turn to glare. He then laid back on the couch.

"If TRUE LOVE and FATE were real and WERE compatible at ANY point in time, I would've been all settled down by now."

"Really?"

"Mhm."

"Do tell," she mumbled, beginning on bandaging him up. To her surprise he did begin to tell her.

"Well, long story short, I had two major loves in my life and now one of them is dead and the other just plain hates my guts. Spiderman's guts if you want to get technical." He shrugged, "They both loved me too, as my secret identity sure, but they LOVED me. So tell me Betty how does fate and true love mix? Because if that is its job, well its not doing too well," he glanced at her with his natural look once more, but now Betty saw more behind it. She saw a man that was sad, tired, and just alone in life. A lot like a certain woman she knew.

"Well," she said trying to find a way around everything, "how about the one that hates you? I mean are you sure she-"

"Yes." He interrupted. He sure had a habit of doing that didn't he?

"Well, how are you SURE?" she asked.

"She told me."

"Oh."

"Over and over."

"OH."

"While hitting me on the chest."

"OooOOooohhhhh..." That was very convincing. And also very... familiar... Wait one second that sounds a lot like-

"Looks like you found it out, huh? Now do you get it?" She looked over to see Spidey getting up off the sofa and checking out the work she had done on the bandage, "There is no such thing as true love and fate, and if there was, well they don't mix up too well now do they?" When he saw the bandage was satisfactory he began to head for the window. Then suddenly he stopped and turned around.

"But," he spoke as he walked back towards her, "the future is something you make by your own decisions." He stopped directly in front of her, lifted his mask to his nose and kissed her on the head. Betty had closed her eyes, and when she opened them once more, he was gone. She walked over and sat on the couch and was still just sitting there when she saw her laptop screen light up. YOU HAVE A MATCH came across her screen. Glancing at her screen a username popped up.

 **user: tstarkmanofiron**

The guy looked and sounded interesting... but... she looked outside her window across the room to see Spidey swinging away far off in the distance. It might sound crazy, but she thinks she might've, just possible, like, she's pretty sure... she just found her ONE TRUE LOVE. And he was a SUPER HERO. HER superhero. She turned off her computer. Nobody could ever beat that.


End file.
